One trigger for .22lr and centerfire?

Some of you have mentioned the advantage of a 1911 .22lr conversion because only one trigger is used.  But isn't that advantage compromised by limiting the trigger pull to 3.5 lbs, the minimum for .45?

Frankly my intention is to use it on an even heavier trigger for use as practice for EIC competition.

I don't understand by what you mean by "compromised". That is the purpose for some shooters of having a 3.5 lb or more trigger.

It depends on if you want to feel good about shooting a "good" .22 score (or CF score with a .32 or .38) versus getting better in the overall aggregate by spending more time with the .45 (or something as similar as possible).

Its like my opinion about .32s and .38s for CF. I don't think spending less time with the gun I need the most improvement on (.45) is a good way to improve my overall aggregate score. Said another way, I'd rather lose a point in .22 if I can gain 2 or more points in my CF and .45 aggs. Just my opinion.

Sorry, But then again I don't think I'm giving up using my 3.5 lb .22 conversion. Scores just as good as a Hammerli for me.

I entered an International Free Pistol match with my conversion installed on my ball gun lower with a 4lb trigger.  I was only a few percent behind the winner....

I was definitely at a disadvantage from the free pistol, but I'm not trying to win a .22 match.  I'm more interested in how I perform in the CF and .45 stage.

Oh....Cecil already said all of what I was thinking....

Many shooters have 2 1911, one with the conversion set to 2 pound trigger. Others remove the spring and insert another to shoot .22 then change it to shoot CF and .45.
 Very easy to do! Another is to have that screw inserted as was shown in another post. If I recall insert the screw to shoot 3.5 pound trigger remove it and it's 2 pounds.

 Frank

I know several that use their ball gun lower and it's 4lb trigger for everything.

- Dave

A good shooter can shoot as well with a 5 lb trigger as with a 2 lb trigger.

Just my opinion.

But study of the fundamentals seems to point in that direction.

Easier with a lighter trigger? Yeah, IF you're goosey.

What we like and what's "nice" is not always truly essential.

I installed the adjustment screw in the Main spring housing so I could use the same frame for both guns and have the option for a lighter trigger with the .22. Most of the time I just shoot the .22 with the 3.5 lb trigger. If I really want to go after the best possible score for a .22 match, Ill remove the screw, it drops the trigger down to 2.5 lbs. This is what I did when I started getting close to earning my SS card. What I found was, it really didn't have much impact on my score. With all the other things in my shot process to work on, the extra 1 or 1.5 lbs on the trigger is the least of my troubles! I still remove it every now and then, but not often. I do however like to know I have the option available.

GrumpyOldMan wrote:A good shooter can shoot as well with a 5 lb trigger as with a 2 lb trigger...

But would a good shooter opt for a 5 lb. trigger when a much lighter one is available and permitted?

beeser wrote:

GrumpyOldMan wrote:A good shooter can shoot as well with a 5 lb trigger as with a 2 lb trigger...

But would a good shooter opt for a 5 lb. trigger when a much lighter one is available and permitted?

Sure but once you get to that level it's 99% mental, if you have great trigger control I really believe it doesn't matter. Look at Don Hamilton's log book in this picture posted on the Distinguished Pistol facebook page, his 45 scores were often higher than his 22 scores.



- Dave

Knowing quite a few of the top shooters in the country, I don't know any of them that are shooting with triggers above the required weight. Yes they do have the triggers a few oz. above legal to avoid any weight problems.
 However I know a few shooters that are still learning that have conversions for the 1911 and have the trigger the same 3.5 pounds for the 22 as well as the .45. I can't think of any reason to intentionally set the trigger to 5 pounds! 4 pounds maybe if the intention is to practice for the EIC matches.
 Also note that a good shooter will shoot well if his trigger somehow does increase to 5 pounds but I'm sure he will use his back-up if that happens.

Weight is not as important as quality.

I would personally shoot the legal limit for that handgun and I do.
Why would'nt I ?
All of my triggers will pass the legal weight plus another 1/4 lbs ish

Clarence

Certainly quality is an important factor. Not sure what quality means but a bad trigger pull or jerk no matter what the pull weight is no good. Or if it means a bumpy, grinding creepy trigger that's not good too. Also a trigger that does not have a consistent pull weight is no good either! My trigger weight set has weights that will add ounces to the weight not 1/4 pound increments. I use the ounces to determine consistency, my triggers repeat in 1 ounce over the weight that will fire the gun which is about 3 oz. over legal
 However I use legal weight rather than high weight because I see no reason not to! Having target pistols with possibly red dot sights and good ammo plus anything else to increase my ability to shoot X's I don't see why I would want to hamper myself with heavy triggers!

I prefer to shoot +3.5 lbs for .22, CF, and .45. That way I'm not just shooting the .22; I'm also training for CF and .45 at the same time. In addition, my trigger finger and the little guy in my subconscious are not confused by different weights. Again, I like to spend my limited training and shooting time getting better with the hardest (or lowest scoring) gun.

CR10X wrote:I prefer to shoot +3.5 lbs for .22, CF, and .45. That way I'm not just shooting the .22; I'm also training for CF and .45 at the same time. In addition, my trigger finger and the little guy in my subconscious are not confused by different weights. Again, I like to spend my limited training and shooting time getting better with the hardest (or lowest scoring) gun.

I like this approach but I don't use it. When you are developing a skill it's all about consistency and using one trigger weight reduces the variables.

- Dave

I should probably stop now, since my wife says "just because you have the opportunity to speak doesn't mean you should...".

As someone said above, its not the pounds, its the quality AND consistency that is most important.  

I use the same weight approach because I only shoot (live fire) less than 10,000 rounds per year (.22 and .45 total), usually closer to 5,000.

Will it work for everyone? Certaintly not.  I sometimes shoot some guns (mostly .22s with 2.0 pound triggers) as a test and I see little differnce in my scores. YMMV 

Anyway, treat the use of same trigger weights like all other things discussed here.  If you want to, give it a fair try with full committment, see if it works by testing, documenting and comparing scores, and then choose.  Bullseye is not always doing the same thing over and over in hopes of getting better.  It's also training, trying new things, keeping an open mind and really doing something to get better.  (I can't tell you the number of hours spent training, testing and deciding on focus on the dot or target, roll versus semi roll versus crisp, lead versus jacketed, grip pressure, slab versus ortho, etc.) 

This is just one of a number of things to go though deciding what is best for you.   However, if you shoot a .22 with 3.5 lbs and the scores are worse, what does that tell you about the trigger operation and doesn't that suggest that getting better at 3.5 would improve the .45 (and possibly the .22) scores? 

So the same weight concept works for me and I think I am still trying to develop my skill for operating the trigger, so I'll stick with it for a while longer.

I would think using similiar or the same trigger with the conversions would be more beneficial than when the .22 is not a conversion. I didn't notice a differance during the yrs I used a HS but since using conversions and the .45 I do. In After Winter League I practiced exclusively with a 4# trigger traing for ball. Now that my arms/shoulders don't tolerate my 1st love, the 1911 .45, and I use .38's and set the triggers quite closely. My damaged shoulder hurts when I encounter a trigger increase after shooting .22.

Is there a cost for others shooters also but not noticed as there is no pain to alert them? Just wondering.

Ron Habegger

Cecil,

Remember the good old days shooting @ Oak Harbor? It must have been good, you always had a smile!

Ron Habegger